Mass alms-giving ceremony held to mark 2,600th anniversary of Lord Buddha’s enlightenment

BANGKOK, March 10 (TNA) - A mass alms-giving ceremony was held here Saturday morning to commemorate the 2,600th anniversary of the Lord Buddha’s enlightenment. The Prime Minister’s Office, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the National Office of Bhuddism and 40 other agencies jointly organized the alms-giving ceremony on Phahonyothin Road, near Sapan Mai bridge, as part of Thailand's 77 Provinces, One Million Alms-Giving Project, running between 2008 and 2012. Ten thousands of Buddhists gave rice and dried food to 12,600 Buddhist monks during the event. The line of the Buddhist monks stretched two kilometers along the road. Part of the alms will be given to Buddhist monks in 286 temples in Thailand's four southern border provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani and Songkhla. Similar mass alms-giving events will also be held between the Kaset and the Ratchayothin intersections in Bangkok on March 11, between Lat Phrao five-way junction and Sapan Kwai intersection on March 17 and between Pratunam area and Central World Plaza on March 18. (TNA)